The Office of the Telecommunications Authority today announced a framework under which quality of service information on residential broadband Internet service will be available to consumers for making informed choices. 

The Authority said all sectors of the telecoms industry in Hong Kong have been liberalised and open to competition. To ensure consumers gain full benefits of the competition, the authority needs to keep them adequately informed about the quality of service of different providers in the market.

The framework serves to provide a systematic mechanism for providing people with information on the non-price aspects of residential broadband Internet services. No minimum service standards will be set for service providers.

Ten indicators under three types of information will be generated from the framework for public information. The three types of information include:

* technical performance, such as download and upload time of the service providers;

* service information, such as helpline numbers and information on billing and service termination; and
* pledges and actual performance statistics on complaint handling time and enquiry call answering time.

It is expected the first batch of information will be available on the authority's website in August.

Scheme will apply to top four providers

The scheme will be applied on a mandatory basis on the top four residential broadband service providers in terms of number of subscribers.  These four service providers have accounted for more than 95% of the total market share.

The authortiy will commission an independent institution to measure the technical performance of the top four service providers.

For details, please visit OFTA's website, www.ofta.gov.hk.